Warrant of arrest issued against Hajjat Ntenge

By Sania Babirye

An arrest warrant has been issued against the Kampala high Deputy Resident city commissioner Hajjat Hawa Ntenge for shielding a suspect implicated in the 4.2 billion shillings LC Bicycle scam.

The arrest warrant has been issued by Buganda road court after Prosecution led by Patricia Cingitho stated that Hajjati Ntege hid Eng Robert Kakiiza for almost 9 years so that he does not be prosecuted by the Anti-corruption court.

In 2012 a fake death certificate was presented before anti corruption court justice Lawrence Gidudu stating that Eng. Kakiiza had suddenly passed on while the court went ahead, tried and jailed his 9 co accused including former Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Local government John Kashaka Muhanguzi after finding them guilty of embezzling 4.2 billion shillings in a fake 70,000 botched local council one bicycles scam to which the convicts are serving jail term.

In 2019, the suspect was arrested by the State House Anti-corruption unit after a tip off from a whistle blower that Eng. Kakiiza is still alive and is frequently seen with Hajjat Ntege.

However, state says when police detectives attached to the same unit Godfrey Oume and Francis Tayabwa asked Hajjati Ntege to handover the fugitive, she refused.

State further claims that on the 25th of theirApril 2019 while in Hajjati Ntege's office at Embassy house building along Parliamentary Avenue, She knowingly and unlawfully obstructed the 2 police detectives from executing the arrest of Eng. Kakiiza whom they had sighted in her office .

Later on, Hajjat Ntege was overpowered and Eng . Kakiiza was arrested and taken before Justice Gidudu to stand trial for his alleged involvement in the botched procurement of over 6000 bicycles that were meant to be supplied to LCI officials ahead of the 2011 General polls.

Now Prosecution wants Hajjat Ntege to answer charges of obstruction of police officers from executing their lawful duty ; hence asking trial magistrate Asuman Muhumuza to order police arrest her on sight and forcefully bring her to court before 5th of March because she has snubbed previous court summons that her lawyer Harris Harimwomugasho acknowledges receipt on 4 different occasions.

Eng .Kakiiza wmis currently being prosecuted by the anti corruption court after being charged in August 2019 with the same offense.